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CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
THE PLAN
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AFTER THEIR HUNT, TERESA AND HENRY MET UP WITH EVERYONE AT GRANNY'S. They sat beside each other at the counter, with Hook standing a couple feet away from them, his elbow leaning against the counter. Regina and Robin were sat together at a booth, with Snow and David not far away from them at a table; Merlin was standing near the door.

"So you can really do it...take the dark one dagger and put it together with Arthur's sword to re-create the original Excalibur?" David asked.

"I hope so," Merlin replied.

"And we can use it to save Emma?"

"Perhaps, but I need two things. The magical means to unite the two blades. That's my and Emma's quest." Merlin looked to Regina. "From you, I need..."

"The two blades," Regina finished, giving him a nod.

"We're pretty much at the open-warfare stage. Now, getting the partial sword from Arthur won't be easy," Robin said.

"As long as you're looking at the future, any hints on how?"

"Well, the future isn't exact. There are many parts..."

"Of course there are!" Hook sneered. "You're willing to send us behind enemy lines, but when it comes to specifics, everything's a little fuzzy, isn't it?!"

"Hook," David sighed. "Merlin's helping Emma."

"Is he?! She's sitting out there right now — " Hook pointed toward the door where Emma was seated outside on a rock. " — making things to pull memories out of people's heads, because that's what she does now instead of sleeping. I'm not quite seeing the helping!"

"I understand. I know what it is to lose someone you love to the Dark One. All I can ask of all of you is that you bring me that sword...and that you have patience with Emma. Her kind of power, for good or evil...it is a weight on the soul. And love is a great help, if you can find it."

➳

"Okay, what's the plan?"

They were now leant over a map of Camelot's castle, trying to figuring out a plan for them to obtain the blade from King Arthur.

"We take them by surprise and go in through the front gate."

"Well, after our jailbreak, they'll be on high alert," Hook said. "We need a diversion at the drawbridge. The rest of us can climb the wall on the side."

"Are you forgetting? I've got magic. I can just poof into Arthur's bedroom." Zelena scoffed at Regina's suggestion. "What?!"

Zelena sat up, gesturing to her throat, smile on her face. "Well, if you're going to make a scene, you might as well make noise." With a wave of her hand, Zelena had her voice once again.

"Oh! Thank you. I do love hearing a sensible person talk."

Regina rolled her eyes. "Spit it out. What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking going in the front...suicide. Diversion...Arthur hides the sword. You need it on him. And you could poof right in front of a blade. Oopsie!" Zelena grinned. "You need to sneak in so quietly...no one knows you're there."

"How? Hang glider? Oh, giant slingshot," David said.

"If sir-castic would let me speak, I'd tell you that I wasn't idle during those days in there, playing mute handmaiden at Regina's side," Zelena said, throwing David an annoyed look. "I was plotting an escape."

"I told you I seen her the other night!" Teresa exclaimed, glancing at Snow.

"And I found a way out." A smirk was now playing on the Wicked Witch's lips. "And if I know a way out, I know a way in."

"You're going to help us?" Henry asked, raising an eyebrow at his wicked aunt.

"Of course," Zelena said. "Because your mother is going to help me." She held up her wrist and pulled down her sleeve, revealing her black cuff. "I want my magic back."

➳

"It's a tunnel, abandoned for years. It will take you to the courtyard," Zelena said, as she led them toward an old stone structure that was the apparent tunnel.

"Well, if it's so good, why didn't you escape through it?" Hook asked.

"Observe the massive metal grate. See, without magic, I'm a delicate thing."

"Well, it leads in the right direction. Looks like your information is good, at least this far," David said.

"Thank you," Zelena said. "Now I've done my part. You can do yours. Take off this bloody cuff."

"For all we know, this leads to the guards' quarters. We make it out safe with the sword, then we'll talk," Regina told her. A smirk then pulled onto her lips as she turned to Snow. "Mary Margaret, how do you feel about guard duty?"

"Oh, I'd be delighted. We'll chat, have plenty of pregnancy tips."

Teresa smirked, knowing Snow was going to give her hell.

Zelena groaned and rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Good Lord, this is worse than being in my cell."

"Henry, perhaps you should stay here. I don't want you in the crossfire if something goes down," Regina suggested.

Henry was about to protest when Snow spoke up. "I could use some help keeping an eye on Zelena."

Henry sighed. He wanted to go inside, to help find the blades; he hated being stuck on the sidelines, but watching Zelena would have to be good enough at the moment. "Sure."

Regina stepped forward, and with a wave of her hand, the iron gate had disappeared. "Alright, everyone. Let's get this sword."

One by one they piled into the tunnel, and on her way in, Teresa threw Henry a quick smile.

The tunnel was dark, all the way up until they reached the end, which led to a large room within the castle. Knights were walking around, and their eyes caught a smoking cauldron being carried into another room that was up a flight of stiars.

"You suppose that's for us?" Robin asked.

"I have a feeling we don't want to find out," Regina muttered.

"Come on," Hook said, leading the group further into the castle. Teresa was right behind him, followed by Regina and Robin, David rearing up the back.

➳

It took them a little while, with having to sneak around and duck behind corners, but they eventually reached the room that which the Round Table was in. Robin and Hook kicked open the door and they barged in; King Arthur jumped up from here was leaning over the table.

"Foul witch, you've overpowered the guards!"

Regina thrust her hand forward, causing him to freeze in his spot, as Teresa's eyes instantly caught sight of the sword. The blade was wrapped with a velvet red cloth as it laid on the table.

"Sword's on the table," she informed the group.

Hook shook his head. "Don't touch it. It could have protection charms."

"Tell your timbers to stop shivering, pirate," Regina said, walking around the table toward Arthur, a smirk on her lips. "Nothing in here can hurt us. Arthur doesn't know how to do magic."

"Hi, guys!" Teresa's eyes widened as Zelena came walking in, gripping Henry's arm tightly.

"Oh, hell no," Regina sneered.

David's eyes widened, as did Teresa's. "Henry! If you hurt him..."

As Zelena forced Henry into a chair, Teresa felt nothing but rage as her eyes stared into Henry's. Her fist was clenched tightly at her side, and if the red haired woman wasn't pregnant with Robin Hood's baby, she would have already hurt her.

As their eye contact held, Henry gave her a pleading look, not wanting her to get hurt because of him.

Zelena smirked. "Ooh, grandpa's angry."

"Where's Mary Margaret?" Robin and Hook both had to hold David back so he wouldn't charge forward.

"Your dear wife is taking a nap." Zelena then turned to King Arthur and clicked her tongue. "Let's undo that." With a wave of her hand, King Arthur was no longer frozen.

Regina stared at her wicked sister in shock. "How did..."

"Well, Arthur was kind enough to remove that constricting jewelry."

"Fine," Regina sneered, conjuring a fireball. "I'd prefer an even fight."

"No, don't! The baby!" Robin shouted. Regina sighed and clenched her fist, causing the magical ball of fire to disappear.

"You know, if you treated me fairly for once, maybe I wouldn't turn on you."

"Yes, you would," Hook sneered, glaring at the red haired witch.

"But I'd enjoy it less." Zelena then grinned as she leaned across the table, her hands caressing a page of a book. "Oh! Here we are. One of Merlin's cookbooks."

"Is it the right spell?" King Arthur asked.

"Oh, yes. It's quite an ingenious recipe for a tethering potion."

"Excellent."

Zelena waved her hands over the sword, and after a moment, it began to glow a yellow color. She let out a laugh. "There...you can take it now. Cookies are done, and by cookies, I mean that Artie here may have a shorter sword than a man would like, but it can control the world's greatest wizard."

Teresa's eyes widened, as she realized that she was speaking about Merlin.

"His plan, but I like it. Happy to help."

"Most obliged, my lady."

"Arthur, please," David pleaded. "You can't see a way out, but there is one. You can start over."

King Arthur raised Excalibur in the air and began to summon the greatest wizard all the realms have ever known. "Merlin!'

"We've all started over."

"Merlin!"

"Emma is worth more to you as the Savior than the dark one."

"Thank you, David. But...Merlin!" After a few moments, Merlin was suddenly in the room with a very confused expression plastered on his face.

King Arthur smirked as he pointed the blade towards him. "Ah, Merlin. How kind of you to come when called. For your first task, please use your magic to keep these fine people from attacking me in any way."

With a wave of his hand, Robin, Hook and David's swords clattered to the ground, and Teresa and Regina could no longer feel their magic flowing their veins.

Teresa's eyes widened. She looked up from her hands and glared at King Arthur. She knew there was something off about him from the moment they met; she realized now that not trusting her gut was a mistake.

Zelena let out an impressed and amused laugh. "Wow."

"It is done, Arthur. You can put that down. We don't have to do this. Emma has passed her test."

From next to Teresa, Hook let out a breath that he hadn't realized he had been holding in, relieved to hear that Emma hadn't given into the darkness on their quest.

"Oh, Emma passed the test? How nice for her."

"I have what we need to unite Excalibur and fulfill your legacy. Give me the sword."

"You mean give you the glory?' King Arthur shook his head, a smug expression plastered on his face. "No."

"Glory? You seek glory? Is that really what you've become? I am so sorry I wasn't there to guide you, Arthur. This isn't the man you were supposed to be."

"Oh, I am exactly what you made me. Look at the half-man with his half-sword, solving riddles from a tree. I bet you laughed."

"I was trapped, and I put my faith in you. You were meant to be like a son to me."

"Shut your mouth." King Arthur held up Excalibur, a glare fixated on his face. "I was never a son to you. You lied. You told me legend would speak of the great King Arthur, using Excalibur to strike darkness from the realm! Tell me how this was not a lie!"

"Because you will do that. You're a part of doing it right now."

King Arthur scoffed. "A part of it?"

"We have what we need. The future is in your hands, Arthur. Give me the sword. We can repair everything."

"No, not everything. This is my charge and my right. I will be known for more than defeating a stone."

"Arthur, you cannot..."

"Be quiet!" He hissed, and because of the blade in his hands that now was engraved with Merlin's name, Merlin was rendered speechless. "We have intruders. Make them leave."

Merlin turned his head toward them, and gave them a guilty look. With a wave of his hand, they were then teleported from the room.